Then Why Do Private Schools Cost So Much?

The gap between public and private schools may be distorted because public school students are testing as well or in some cases higher in math and reading than similar kids at private schools, The New York Timesreported last week, citing new federal statistics.

While private school students often score better than their public school counterparts, when the study compared those from similar racial, economic and social background “the private school advantage disappeared in all areas except eighth-grade reading,” the newspaper reported.

“The report, which compared fourth- and eighth-grade reading and math scores in 2003 from nearly 7,000 public schools and more than 530 private schools, found that fourth-graders attending public school did significantly better in math than comparable fourth-graders in private schools. Additionally, it found that students in conservative Christian schools lagged significantly behind their counterparts in public schools on eighth-grade math.”

This report won’t end the private versus public education debate, but it will give public advocates a long awaited shot in the arm.

“Reg Weaver, president of the National Education Association, the union for millions of teachers, said the findings showed that public schools were ‘doing an outstanding job’ and that if the results had been favorable to private schools, “there would have been press conferences and glowing statements about private schools.”